A Tail of Love
by His Wolfette
Summary: This story is loosely based on premises set forth by Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. Whereas these are Original Characters, canon characters will make appearances. This is the story of Lance Akous, a Were Hunter, and Caryn Driscol, a human that will become so much more. This is the story of how they met, and their journey together.
1. Chapter 1

First, let me give you a little background information. I grew up in Athens, Georgia. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the jokes that can be made from that. Anyway, when I was in high school, my family and I moved to Smyrna, Georgia. My dad had wanted to open up his own restaurant and he thought it would be a good place for it. And it was. Between my four brothers and me, we never really did without anything. My family was pretty well-rounded. I played sports, I was in the marching band in high school, I had boyfriends. Really, it was all good. I have no complaints, other than those that I can remember about be an adolescent stuck at home. You know, normal stuff.

Eventually, when I went off to college in Atlanta, my parents decided to retire. They moved to Florida and my brothers wound up moving away from Smyrna with their families. For some reason or another, I felt it was my obligation to go back and take care of the place. No one really said it was, but the relief I could feel coming from my parents when I told them was enough to tell me they had been thinking of asking me to do it.

So, there I was, living in Smyrna, running the diner and going to school at the local community college in my spare time. At this rate, it was going to take forever for me to graduate, but I was still determined to do it. My goal was to become a teacher, math in particular. Everyone thought it was a great idea, but something always felt wrong about the way they said it. They said it like it was an apology or something. Maybe they knew something I didn't? More than likely, they thought I'd be stuck at the diner for the rest of my life.

Now, up until "that night," the most exciting thing to ever happen to me was my move to Atlanta. And that didn't end so well if I was back in Smyrna.

That night...It was different. My car had broken down at the diner and I was there alone. Luckily, it was a small neighborhood, so I locked my car up and walked home. I was musing over just what could be wrong with my car, going over possible costs for repairs when I started noticing some footsteps behind me. Not like a person was following, not exactly - more like an animal, a dog or something, following behind me. Only, its steps were wrong. I can't explain it, but I _knew_ something was wrong. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting to see a dog limping along there. But, no, every time I looked, there was nothing there.

I reached the gate of the fence that surrounded my run-down house and the steps stopped. Out of the corner of my eye, while I fumbled with the latch in my nervousness, I saw it. It was huge, beautiful...not a dog. It looked more like a wolf, if you can believe it. It wasn't breathing right, something about it told something in me that it was hurt; it needed shelter. The latch gave, the gate swinging open as I stood there. Instead of walking in and slamming my door shut like a normal person, I turned and walked towards the wolf. I talked to it, for whatever reason, in a calm soothing voice, just hoping that it wouldn't jump and attack me.

"Good boy...please don't kill me...I won't taste very good...oh, you look hurt..." I kept my voice soft, positive. My only intent was to not show fear. I figured if I showed any fear I was dead. It made sense to me, so I went with it. "Come inside and I'll get you all patched up, okay?"

With that, I turned back towards the gate, trying my hardest not to turn my back on the wolf completely. I headed up towards my door, pulling out my key to unlock it, holding it open for the wolf. At first, it didn't move, but then it came along, limping its way into my house. I had assumed the thing would sit on the floor for me, but no...He or she jumped up on to my couch. Who was I to argue with a wolf about where it wanted to sit? I went into my bathroom and came back out with some gauze bandages and some antiseptic. Sitting on my coffee table while the wolf stretched out over the sofa...yes, the _whole _sofa...I began cleansing the wounds. The wolf twitched under my ministrations and I was convinced I was about to lose my hand, my arm, maybe even my head. It was slow going since the wound was ragged and fairly deep, but I got it covered up with clean dressings and put all my supplies back into the bathroom.

When I got back out to the living room, the wolf had sat up, making room for me on the edge. It was kind of cool, I thought. Who was I to argue? I also thought it would make a great story to tell my dad the next time I spoke with him on the phone. I sat down on the couch and almost immediately, the wolf lay back down, stretching out on top of me! I held my breath at first, but then relaxed, running my hand carefully over its fur. By now, I had come to the obvious conclusion that the wolf was male...kind of hard to miss, honestly. While I stroked his fur, massaging him gently, my finger got hooked in a collar of sorts. He twitched slightly when I moved it around, finding a charm on it. I thought it might be one of those things with an owner's information on it, but it was not. It had some weird symbols on it, beautiful symbols that seemed to burn themselves into my memory. I dropped the charm and returned to petting him, lost in thought.

Soon, I turned on the television, trying to distract myself, but found I was too tired to stay there. I wanted to get up and go to bed, but the wolf had already fallen asleep, his snores soft and steady on my legs. The only thing I could really do was lean over, against the wolf's back to try and drift off to sleep.

I don't know how long I slept and it wasn't the most comfortable sleep I'd ever had. When I woke up, rubbing my eyes, something felt different...off. Dropping my hands from eyes, my vision slightly blurring from rubbing them, there was a man sitting on my coffee table! I jumped to my feet, diving over the table to get to the opposite side of the room. I looked around for the wolf, but didn't see him anywhere. This was not how I had intended on waking up...Really, even the wolf wasn't how I had intended on waking up!

He stood up, dressed in black jeans and a very nicely tailored shirt and turned to me. He had the nerve to thank me! Then he mentioned Shadow. He lifted up his shirt, revealing a wound that was almost fully healed. He claimed that he and Shadow were one and the same. He sounded rather sane. He looked even better. But, seriously? He was going to come at me with this ludicrous information? The sad thing? I actually believed him. He could describe everything that had happened the night before. He knew what I had said to the wolf...I felt like a moron.

Then he smiled. Those eyes...that scent that I couldn't describe...I felt like I was drugged.


	2. Chapter 2

Before leaving, he introduced himself to me as Lance. Yeah, the perv in me had all sorts of ideas on how "that" name came into play for him. Either way, before he left, he had my name, obviously knew where I lived, and gave me a promise of dinner later that day. My head spun with the idea; it had all happened so quickly, I'm sure if my brain had actually been working, I might have said no, no way, no way in hell! But, as it was, I said sure, of course. He left out the door, and I stood staring after it for a while, not knowing what to do. Eventually, I shook the fog from my head and went about cleaning up. An overwhelming sense of loss overtook me as I stared at the empty couch. I could still smell him, which was weird. Men's colognes never stayed with me like this, I couldn't quite identify it, but…oh my god, I just wanted to stick my nose in the center of his chest and inhale deeply, over and over again.

The day went by slowly. I headed to the diner to go over some paperwork and check on things. Luckily I had a good team there to run the place. They all had been working there forever and I more or less stayed out of the way at this point. The whole day, I was distracted by the idea of dinner with Lance. I wondered about what kinds of food he liked, where he'd take me, what I should wear. I was never this kind of girl. I never cared about what I wore or where I ate. Hell, I'm sure my table manners were worse than those of a dog. I was so worried about making an even bigger fool of myself. I had managed to get ahold of the garage in town to get my car fixed, but they said it would be a day or so before they could get the tow truck over there to pull it in. I really had no choice but to deal with this, so when my shift at the diner was over, I started walking home.

The whole way there, I kept expecting to see a wolf. I laughed at myself every time I would turn around to check my path. No wolf this time, I made it to my yard, the fence and gate waiting for me as I expected. In the light of day, things seemed so much different. Was it all a dream? Had I inhaled some weird fumes on my way home last night? I didn't know. I didn't care, really. I was excited about this supposed date-thing. Was it a date? I didn't know.

Inside, I stripped out of my clothes, leaving a path of discarded clothing on my way to the bathroom. I took a shower, using my favorite shampoo and soap. Finishing up, wrapping my hair in a towel, I stood naked before my mirror, studying myself. Picturing Lance in my mind, I tried to figure out what it was about me that would make a man like that even consider taking me out to dinner. Even if it wasn't a date, but just a thank you, why would he want to be seen in public with me? My lips are too big, my eyes never knew if they were gray or blue, my hair was always a mess, my hips…Ugh, I didn't want to consider those. My breasts? I always thought they were too large for my body. I'd even considered a surgery to have them reduced. I turned in the mirror to study my ass and cringed. Why would he do this to me? All I'll do is embarrass him. He's gorgeous. The perfect brown eyes, the perfect jawline – I could only imagine how perfect he looked naked. Shaking my head, I walked out to my bedroom and to my closet, hoping I could find something that was acceptable to wear. As always, I ended up in a pair of jeans and blouse. Ugh, I really needed to find some "date" clothes.

I was getting so nervous; I was really beginning to think it had been a misunderstanding on my part. That he hadn't really mentioned dinner and that I was dressed up with no place to go. I sat on the couch, biting my nails, staring at the door. I was just about to give up and go make something to eat when I saw his shadow pass by the front windows. I had to force myself to wait for his knock before I jumped up to answer. When I opened the door, he stood there in all his splendor. Jeans, black shirt, and the nicest leather jacket I'd ever seen. Oh, and that smile! I swore I melted to a puddle right then and there. He wanted to leave right away, claiming he was starving. My stomach growled in response and he broke out into the sexiest laugh I'd ever heard. I grabbed my bag and walked outside, locking my door behind me. He had driven his truck over and that's where we walked to. He opened the door for me and I climbed in and buckled up. His truck even smelled like him, or, rather, his scent lingered heavily in the cab. Either way, I was in heaven. When he climbed in and started the truck up, I could feel my nerves building. I hated being nervous, but I couldn't fight it.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Pick a place, and we'll go."

Wow. He was going to let me choose! How nice! As he drove, I pointed the way towards my favorite place to eat that wasn't my own diner. We ended up at this little dive a few miles from my house – a place I knew the steaks were to die for. When we got there, and went inside, my mouth had gone dry. I didn't have any clue what to talk to him about, or even if I should talk. We sat at a table towards the middle of the place, the waitress coming to take our orders – we both ordered large steak dinners. It was kind of cute, but inwardly, I rolled my eyes at myself, ordering the same thing as a guy. Good lord, what was he going to think?

We sat there, talking, small chit chat kind of stuff until he started asking about school and what my plans were for the future. No guy had ever asked or cared about that before, it was disconcerting to say the least. And, even scarier, I told him. I found myself opening up to him, telling him all about myself, from my family to my favorite subjects in school. It was so weird, but it felt like I'd known him all my life and we were just catching up on what had happened in our lives. He got away without answering too many questions about himself, but I did learn that he worked at a garage. I thought that was pretty neat since I have a deep-down love of cars – and I had a car that could use some work, sneaky-sneaky. Before I knew it, we were finished and on our way back to my place. Some part of me thought he'd just drop me off and that would be that. I was scared of that being the case, too, which surprised me even more. When I invited him inside for a drink, I didn't really think he'd say yes, but he did.

I don't remember if we ever even got to the part of having drinks. That was the best night of my life. The way he touched me, the way he kissed me…He knew exactly how to make me his. I never understood the idea of the orgasm being equated to "tiny deaths", but that night I definitely understood it. He was gorgeous naked, his body was perfect. The way his muscles moved beneath his skin was enough to make my mouth water. That scent of his had my blood rushing through my veins, and when he kissed me, I lost complete control of myself. I felt wanton that night, but looking back on it now? I'd say it was the ultimate proof that he was mine and I was his. We just fit together, if you can understand that idea. Granted, he's ridiculously tall, but the way we moved together, understood what we needed, it was completely perfect.

Hours later, we fell asleep in each other's arms. It was the best night's sleep I'd had in a very long time. It felt so right to be there, with him. I've never regretted anything about that night, how quickly we got to that point in our relationship. It felt right; it felt natural.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up in the middle of the night to moonlight spilling across my face. The moon hung high in the sky, not a single cloud marring its beauty. I'd always been fascinated by the moon and couldn't stop myself from slipping out of Lance's arms and crawling out of the bed to kneel before the window. I pushed the curtains aside, resting my elbows on the windowsill as I stared up at the glowing orb. I was lost in dreams, fantasies of what the moonlight brought with it, when I heard Lance moving on the bed. I didn't turn to him but I could feel his eyes on my back.

He sighed and I could hear him run his hands over his face, the soft scraping of his stubble against his palms. I sat there, waiting for him to say something, but he remained quiet. Unable to resist any longer, I turned to look at him over my shoulder, only to find him watching me.

"The moon's out," I didn't know what else to say. The moonlight in the room accented the planes of his face, his eyes catching it and sparkling in turn. A smile slowly spread across my lips, realizing how absolutely handsome and perfect he was. His lips were wide, but not too wide. His eyes were the perfect golden-brown that always looked photo-shopped in pictures. His hair was just long enough for me to run my fingers through, proven a fact just a few hours ago. At that thought, I must have made a sound, because he smiled at me. Those teeth…he liked to use them, too. I swear he had bitten me, but in all honesty, I didn't mind in the least.

I pulled the curtain open a bit more, using my head to indicate the moon. "It's supposed to be the closest to the earth right now. That's why it's so large."

His eyes briefly flashed to the moon, but then back to me as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I've never paid much attention to it. In my family, my history, the moon's never been anything other than a fickle bitch."

I furrowed my brow, looking at him, a bit confused. I dropped the curtains back into place and crawled back over to him, settling between his knees. I slid my hands over his knees, up his thighs, and wrapped my arms around his waist, kissing his chin softly. I couldn't take my eyes from him, seeing a pain there that I hadn't noticed before. There was a distance there, like he was thinking of something in his past. I wanted to ask him about it but I felt like I didn't have the right, not yet. In an instant, that haunted look was gone, masked again.

"I'm sorry. I had always thought it beautiful."

He silenced me with a kiss, pulling me up onto his lap, his hands and arms encircling my waist. Easily pulling me back to bed, stretching out beside each other, he sought to find his peace. His hands moved over my body, mine over his, bringing us closer and closer to that point where we were one. The scent of him, of his sweat, mixed with my own scent. It hung heavy in the air, creating a bubble in which we were the only two people in existence. We fell asleep in each other's arms, legs entangled, sheets and blankets kicked off the bed. He gave off his own heat, which my body sought and found.

When morning came, I awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs. I could hear the sizzle and pop of the frying pan, the sound of the spatula on the bottom of the pan. I yawned and stretched – my muscles tight and sore in places I was most definitely not used to. I scooted to the edge of the bed, picking up the sheet to wrap around my body. I walked out of my bedroom and headed to the kitchen, for some reason I tried to be light in my steps, afraid that what I was hearing might still be a part of a dream. I stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame, and watched him. He stood before the stove, wearing black pajama pants that hung low on his hips. He had that gorgeous muscle definition that begged me to run my tongue over. His ass curved perfectly, the muscles well-used and honed. Those muscles gave him so much raw power and sexuality that I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks just looking at him.

He didn't even look up when he said good morning, but when I didn't respond, he turned his head slightly to look at me. He looked at me, knowingly, because he winked at me before walking over to kiss my forehead.

"I said good morning, Caryn."

"Good morning. I take it you were hungry?" I pointed to the frying pan, seeing wisps of smoke rising from its surface.

He turned and walked back to it, pulling bacon out and setting it on a plate that was already piled high. Nodding, he picked up the plate and brought it back to me, letting me take a piece. Biting of a section, chewing slowly, I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"Good?" he asked it, but I didn't know what exactly he was referring to. His eyes were dark with something that frying bacon didn't exactly encourage.

"Very. I should go get dressed." I smiled, finishing the piece of bacon.

He nodded, his eyes running down the length of my body. The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile, but he didn't say anything. He shrugged slightly and turned to go finish making breakfast. With a last glance at his perfect ass, I turned and walked, well ran is more like it, back to my room to get dressed.

I grabbed a pair of jeans and the best t-shirt I could find, which meant I was wearing a plain white tee. I stared at myself in the mirror, rather disappointed that I didn't look even half as good as he did. I rolled my eyes at myself and left the room, running my fingers through my hair on my way to the bathroom. After quickly freshening up, I was back in the kitchen just in time to see Lance sitting at the table, plating out our eggs, bacon, and toast. Gods, the man was perfect, despite the whole canine thing. Or, maybe it actually added to him, giving him that whole mysterious, sexy, let-me-have-you air. I walked into the kitchen, to the table and sat down across from him. I was suddenly nervous and no idea what to say. He opened his mouth, getting ready to say something when my phone rang in the other room. The look on his face wasn't very happy at the interruption, but I got up anyways and went to find my cell phone.

A quick phone call from my head cook at the diner broke my heart and made my day all at the same time. I walked back into the kitchen, a smile plastered on my face when I sat back down. Lance looked confused, but I couldn't stop myself from spilling the news.

"Okay, there's good news and bad news," I caught myself after saying these words to him. Before giving him time to panic over anything, I went on with it. "The diner caught on fire, and it's going to be a few weeks before I have to be back at work. That means you have me all to yourself."

Without thinking about it, I blushed profusely. What if he didn't really want me and everything had just been a spectacular fling? That thought died in the back of my mind when I saw the wicked grin on his face and saw the look in his eyes, as the information soaked in.

"That's the best news I've heard in long time."

That was all he said before digging into his food, watching me the whole time. I became self-conscious while I ate, fearing there was something stuck on my face. He just kept watching me. Finally, finishing my food, I pushed the plate away. Biting my lip, I couldn't keep from saying anything any longer.

"Why are you staring at me?"

He chuckled, the sound coming from somewhere deep in his chest. It was the sexiest sound I'd ever heard. He pushed his plate away, finishing his last piece of bacon and licking his fingers clean. I had to force myself not to stare at his lips.

"I thought maybe you were going to tell me it was time to go. Instead, you're telling me your mine. Just wait until you see all the things I want to show you."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Lance woke me with a surprise. He'd left the day before, saying he had work to do. Not questioning it, I went about my day, cleaning, grocery shopping, and basically just trying to keep myself occupied. I had so much energy that I couldn't just sit still anywhere. When Lance showed up at my door, he had a motorcycle parked on my curb outside my front door. Lance had a huge grin on his face, his eyes sparkling with the morning light. Standing there in my nightshirt, I motioned for him to come inside, so at the very least I could close the door and not have the nosy neighbors looking in at me.

"I'm going to take you to my favorite spot for breakfast."

He eyed me up and down. It took every ounce of will power not to melt at his look. I looked down at my clothes, or lack thereof, before looking back up at him. Looking at his clothes, black jeans and a black shirt which I was beginning to think were his only clothes, I sighed.

"You're going to make me get dressed, aren't you?" I pulled at the material of my shirt, letting it fall against my skin.

"It does tend to work that way when you go out in public." He smirked, the corner of his lip pulling up in what had to be the sexiest facial expression I'd ever seen.

I held up a finger, "Just give me a minute."

I left him standing in the living room and headed up the stairs to my bedroom. Going straight for my dresser to pull out a pair of similar black jeans, I pulled them on, wiggling them up my hips. Pulling off my nightshirt, I walked over to my closet and dug out a red, form-fitting tee to wear. Donning a bra to tame my chest, I pulled on the shirt and started looking for a pair of boots to wear. I found my sexiest pair and pulled them on, zipping up the knee-high boots over my jeans. Stopping in front of the mirror to smooth down my hair, I grabbed my lip gloss, swiped some on and headed back downstairs. Seeing him waiting there, I once again nearly melted. I had no idea what kind of power he held over me, but I never felt more alive than when he was near. I was crazy. I knew it.

Together, we walked out to his bike. He handed me the extra helmet and I frowned as I pulled it on. Leave it to me to be worried more about my hair than my safety. Climbing on the bike behind him, I wrapped my arms tight around his waist, his heat and warmth spreading all through me as he started up the bike, let off the throttle, and we took off down the street. I still had no idea where he was taking me.

Lance pulled the bike onto a deserted road and slowed to a stop. Looking back over his shoulder at me, a grin on his face, I felt his hand on mine, holding me.

"You ready for this? Hold on. You might want to close your eyes."

I swallowed hard and nodded my head. I didn't care where he was taking me, as long as I was with him, I was more than happy. Squeezing my eyes shut, after just a few moments, I opened them back up, convinced he was playing some sort of trick on me. However, when I opened my eyes, the road was gone and we were parked on the side of a highway. The Eifel Tower was on the horizon in the distance. He was still looking at me as I pulled off my helmet and climbed off the bike to walk towards the edge of the road. My eyes were glued to the scenery in front of me. I'd never been out of the States, let alone Georgia, and here I was in France! I felt him walk up behind me, standing there his hands resting on my waist.

"What do you think?"

"Lance! It's beautiful!"

I could hear his laughter on the wind that came up from the country-side and it warmed me to my core. I turned to look at him and I could see the pride in his eyes, in the way he stood there.

"Come on, we still need to get to the place before it gets too busy."

We got back on the bike, and we took off. Driving through the country-side of France, into Paris, with Lance was more than a dream. I couldn't begin to describe how extremely happy I was. Before long, we entered the city proper, dodging through traffic to a side street where he came to a stop in front of a small bakery with several tables set up on the sidewalk as well as inside.

Walking in, hand-in-hand, a tiny old lady came walking up to greet Lance with a hug and kiss to each cheek. Lance and the woman spoke French, that much I knew, not that I could follow along with the conversation. Eventually, she turned to me and gave me another hug and kiss to each of my cheeks. Whatever she said managed to make Lance grin even more, but he never told me what she said. The lady led us to a quiet table in the back of the tiny room. It was private and we could sit alone, more or less. Lance ordered for both of us as I couldn't speak a lick of French, nor read it. Waiting for the food to arrive, we sat in silence for a few minutes. I took in my surroundings, looking at the display cases full of breads, cakes, and all sorts of desserts.

"This place is fantastic, Lance."

He grinned, "I'm glad you think so. I've been coming here for years."

That intrigued me, but I didn't press the conversation. My eyes were taking in all the food and I could feel my hunger growing. Holding my hands in his on the table, I could tell he wanted to talk.

"What is it?" I asked, nervous for some strange reason.

He must have sensed my nervousness, because he squeezed my hands in his. "Nothing's wrong, I've just been thinking of how to use these few weeks you have to their full extent."

"Oh! Okay. "I bit my lip, thinking. "You don't have to work?"

"Not really. I can take some time to spend with you."

His thumbs brushed back and forth over my knuckles, sending waves of warmth and tingles up my arms.

He asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Well, I love the beach. What do you think about spending a couple of days there?"

He smiled, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was coming up with a plan and I was amused at how boyish he looked.

"Do you like the ocean or just the beach?"

I stared at him, "The Ocean in general is perfect to me, but I love the beach."

"Let me check with a friend and I might be able to pull some things together to give us a couple weeks at sea. How's that?"

I stared in disbelief. How did a couple days at the beach turn into a couple of weeks out at sea? Either way, I didn't really care. It meant two weeks with having this perfect creature all to me. When the food came, we ate in silence. My eyes kept drifting towards his lips, and I caught him more than once staring right back at mine. When we were finished, we left the little restaurant, the return trip back home just as quick and just as exciting. Riding on the bike behind him, I could bury my nose in his back and breathe in his deep, rich scent.

When we pulled back up outside my house, I didn't want to get off the bike. I wanted to stay there, my arms around him, his scent filling my head. Begrudgingly, I got off the bike, handing him the helmet to secure to the bike as he climbed off. He followed me inside, without a word, scooping me up in his arms to carry me inside and up to my bedroom. I loved the fact that when he really wanted something, there really was nothing that was going to make him wait, and that included our clothes.

Our clothes melted away as he started kissing me, his hands roaming all over my body. Before he could do anything, I had him pushed over onto his back, kneeling between his thighs. Something about what I was about to do seemed to terrify him. I could see the look on his face, sense the sudden tension. The only thing I knew to do, to show him that I wasn't going to hurt him was, gently take his cock in my hand and lean down, pressing my lips to the tip. I heard him his in his breath as I opened my mouth and slowly took him in, my hand stroking him along. I used my mouth, my tongue, and my hand to bring him to the brink, his hands wrapped through my hair as he watched every single movement I did. Feeling the hot rush of liquid in the back of my throat, I moaned around him, slowly pulling away.

The look in his eyes, darkened in pleasure, made every muscle of my body tense in desire. He pulled me up to kiss me, his tongue delving into my mouth, our tongues sliding and rolling together in a heated, sensual kiss. His hands slid down my sides to my hips and lifted me up, bringing me down on his length. I gasped, feeling how large he'd grown. The tiny thought in the back of my head that he was growing larger and larger only made the moment, the feel, that much more pleasurable. Our bodies moved together, a sheen of sweat breaking out over each of us as the afternoon faded into the night. He liked to pick me up and hold me up where he needed me. His tongue did wondrous things to me and we had each other begging for release. Melting in his arms, he finally had me from behind, his lips and tongue on the side of my neck, my shoulders. My mind and body shattered when his fangs pierced my skin, my orgasm intensified so much more as I could feel him drinking from me. Licking the wound to seal it, we were both spent, lying entwined on the bed, the sheets, blankets, and pillows strewn all about. With him still inside me, the joy of being a wolf and having to wait for him to relax, I asked him about why he'd tensed up when I'd first taken him in my mouth.

I felt him tense, and only got the response that the last female that had done that to him, the last female that he'd ever been with, had shown him nothing but pain. He confessed that up until now, he'd always expected pain in response to any type of pleasure. It broke my heart. I wanted to cry for him, but something told me that he wouldn't respond well to that. I promised myself then and there that I would never hurt him, that I would, in fact, only ever show and give him pleasure. I never wanted to hurt him. I couldn't even fathom hurting such a beautiful creature.

I felt him relaxing inside me and behind me, finally able to separate our bodies. He held me on top of him, my cheek resting on his chest, my ear to his heart. I could hear his heart beating, and then I heard it. A small voice that sounded just like him, was talking in my mind. He was going on and on about loving me, not wanting to hurt me, and that maybe he wasn't good enough. In response to these weird thoughts in my head, which I figured was just me trying to spoil the moment for myself, I responded to the voice, saying that I loved him and that I would never hurt him. His body went rigid beneath me, and I heard his voice in my head again. He asked me if I could hear him.

Confused, I raised my head to look at his face. I could see the same look on his face when, in my mind, I responded that, yes, I could. Those three words seemed to make him smile, and he pulled me up to kiss me passionately, his arms squeezing me tightly to him. Pulling away, breathless, I looked down into those beautiful brown eyes.

"What is this?"

"It's a start."

I didn't know how to respond to that, but it felt right. His grasp on me didn't slacken, but I didn't mind. I draped myself over him, completely in love with the feel of him beneath me. His body was hard, but soft enough to be completely comfortable.

I fell asleep there, on top of him. As warm as he was, I didn't need a blanket. It was one of the best night's sleep I could ever remember having. It felt right to me, to be there, with him. I never wanted to leave his arms again.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, I awoke to find Lance yet again making me breakfast. I really was going to get spoiled if he didn't stop this. Oh, I hope he never stops it. Wrapped in my robe, I stood in the doorway, pondering the things from the previous night. Apparently, I could now read his mind and he could read mine. It was strange, yet, oddly comforting. I figured I would test it.

{Good morning.} Simple enough, really.

His laugh…it could make my toes curl with how it reverberated in my bones.

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

He laughed even harder, shaking his head as he trailed the spatula through the eggs, making what appeared to be scrambled eggs. Oh, and bacon. My stomach growled surprisingly hungry at the wonderful aromas in the kitchen.

"Is that supposed to be funny, Lance?"

I walked into the kitchen and over to him. A light kiss to his bare shoulder, my arm snaked around his waist while I watched what he was doing.

"Just something a very big pain in my ass likes to spout out every now and then."

Leaning over, he kissed the top of my head. It always did and always will surprise me just how much taller he is than me. Looking up at him, I smiled softly, still not fully awake.

"So, save it for when my mouth is otherwise preoccupied?"

His brow arched up as the corner of his mouth pulled up in an incredibly sexy half-smile.

"Now, that sounds about right."

Kissing his shoulder again, I turned and walked out of the kitchen to the front door, having heard the newspaper bang off the front door. When I walked back into the kitchen, Lance had the food on the table, steam rising from the hot food. I swear I must have drooled or something, because he was staring at me, an odd look on his face.

"What is it?"

He motioned for me to sit across from him, so I did. Geez, look at me, I was sort of listening to someone, and a man at that rate. My mom would be proud.

"I managed to secure us a yacht, if you'd like to join me on a short cruise of sorts. Since you've got some time off from work, I thought it might be a good time for us…"

He trailed off, looking down at his own plate. If I was not mistaken, I could swear Lance was almost shy or embarrassed by whatever this supposed cruise meant to him. I reached my hand out, laying it gently on his and giving him a slight squeeze. When he finally looked up at me again, I could not contain the smile as I nodded.

"Lance, I'd love to go out on a yacht, a cruise with you. I've never had the experience before."

His own smile was completely infectious. I could slowly feel my cheeks burning as he raised my hand to his soft lips, kissing each of my knuckles. Slowly, regretfully, I pulled my hand from his, digging into my food. I simply couldn't bare the hunger anymore. Since meeting this man, this wolf, my appetite had grown tenfold. I never remembered eating this much before, it was so strange….

We ate in silence; the nervous energy in the kitchen was almost palpable. Excited, I had no idea what to expect from this adventure, other than more time with Lance. I was beginning to think of him as mine, already, and it partially scared me. I have never identified myself according to who I was with, but something…something deep down inside of me wanted to be his and to have him make me his. If it were possible, I was willing to have a tattoo that marked me his property. It was such a strange feeling, but I found comfort in it.

With breakfast over, he told me to go pack for the cruise. I was completely clueless as to what to bring, aside from bathing suits.

"What all should I bring? Are we going to be going anywhere?"

He stared at me, completely serious.

"A toothbrush."

The temptation to do only that was almost too much. I laughed softly, shaking my head a bit as I left the kitchen and headed back up to my bedroom. I pulled out my tiny suitcase and began packing. I stood staring at my closet when the idea struck me. I walked to my dresser and pulled out every skimpy bikini I owned, the two sheer cover-ups I owned and threw them in the suitcase. Who needed shoes? I grabbed my trusty toothbrush, packed it up, and then got dressed. Donning a black tank-top and a pair of jeans, slipping into my favorite boots, I grabbed my suitcase and headed back down to the living room. Lance was waiting, sitting on the couch.

"I see you have more than just a toothbrush."

He sounded almost disappointed, but I could only laugh.

"Sorry, but a girl needs options."

His face blanched slightly. I had no idea why, but I felt bad for making the joke.

"That's not what I meant, Lance. I just wanted to bring some bathing suits."

He got to his feet and came to take the suitcase from me, leaning down to kiss my cheek. His nose brushed long my cheek as he pulled away, smiling down at me.

"Don't apologize. It had nothing to do with you. Come."

He held his hand out to me and I eagerly placed mine in his. I grabbed my bag and my keys before leaving the house with him, locking up behind me. This time, he had his truck with him, telling me in not so many ways that we'd need the truck for the lengthy drive to the coast where the yacht was docked.

Lance drove quickly, the trip going much faster than I'd thought it would. Driving across a lonely stretch of road, it suddenly dawned on me.

"Sandalwood!"

His grip tightened on the wheel as he barked out a laugh, trying to keep the truck in its lane.

"What?"

I turned to look at him, a foolish grin on my lips.

"I just figured out what your scent is."

Lance looked at him from the corner of his eye. I couldn't tell if he was pleased or embarrassed by my reaction or what I said, but he kept his mouth shut, staring out the windshield as he drove.

"Sorry, but…that's what it reminds me of, Lance."

Lance reached over and took my hand in his, squeezing lightly before he began to absently run his thumb along my palm. The simple, affectionate touch sent waves of…something over my body. It was kind of like chills, only warm and very pleasurable.

We rode in silence for the rest of the way. My eyes scanned the terrain, watching the trees and meadows give way to suburban housing developments and small towns. We passed several towns, eventually the terrain turned back into Georgia forest and meadows. Before long, I could smell the salty sea air, the highway twisting and turning towards the beaches and seaside hotels. Lance seemed to know exactly where he was going, never once seeming to look for a sign or getting worried he might have missed an exit. I was panicking. I usually had GPS for this, and even then, I was always worried I would miss my turn.

Then, I saw it. The yacht that Lance was driving up to dwarfed anything I had ever imagined. It was huge and gorgeous, and it looked like a tiny city. Lance parked his truck and we got out, picking up the few bags we had with us. He offered to carry them all, despite my protests, and we walked towards the ramp that lead towards the deck.

"Do you want a tour or do you want to go to the room and get situated first?"

His words carried to me over the breeze coming off the water. At first, I was still stunned at the sheer size of the yacht. Damn…did everything around and about this man…wolf…come super-duper extra fucking large? I think I made myself blush, especially when Lance turned back to me and gave me a knowing look. Damn the mind reading!

On the yacht, Lance led the way through rooms and corridors, bringing us to a large state room. Letting me walk in before him, he set the bags to the side and seemingly watched me as I made a fool of myself Oohing and Awing at everything in the room, out the windows, and just in general. When I had finally seen enough, I turned to find him leaning against the dresser, his arms folded across his chest with a smile on his lips.

"I take it you like it?"

I nodded, walking up to him, my hands automatically circling his waist. Nuzzling his neck when his arms wrapped around me, I whispered an, "I love it." I could feel Lance running his nose through my hair, along my neck again, breathing in my scent. That feeling alone was enough to make me lose my mind. Just as quickly as he did it, he stopped.

"Go ahead and freshen up. I'll be up on deck."

I watched him leave the room, my mind's eye replaying my footsteps and how to get to the deck as I turned and pulled my suitcase up onto the bed. Opening it, I pulled out my little black bikini, slipped out of my clothes and into it. For a moment, I contemplated not wearing the cover-up, but at the last moment, I shrugged into it and headed out the door. Walking through the corridors and up a level to the main activity area, I saw Lance through the large windows, standing by the rail. He had a cell phone to his ear, and I could tell he was talking serious business.

As I made my way out onto the deck, Lance finished his call, turning to me with yet another smile for me.

"Is that work?"

"Something like it, but don't worry. I'm all yours. Nothing that can't be handled when we come back."

I walked over to his side, looking up at him. Reaching up to run my fingers along his brow, smoothing the lines that somehow appeared in the short time we were apart, I returned his simple smile.

"Please don't let me get in the way."

The look on his face, the way his eyes immediately softened completely melted my heart. Yes, I was his. I knew it. Irrevocably, undoubtedly, unconditionally, I was his.

"You could never get in the way, Caryn."

Oh my. The way he said my name, it was almost a growl. I was beginning to get concerned I would never be able to control myself around Lance. Part of me was worried he would think I only wanted him for his body, for sex. The other part of me knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he and I were meant to be, that the fates, such cruel creatures as he had mentioned in passing, had actually brought us together.

Forcing myself to try and act like a good person, I stepped away from him and walked to the railing of the yacht, overlooking the beautiful waters. We had pulled away from the dock while I was still in the room changing, and I had never felt the shift with as large as the yacht was. I stood there amazed, unable to resist the urge to turn to Lance and grin.

"Oh my god! Lance, it's beautiful out here!"

His laughter swept over me along with the wind, warming me to my core. He walked to my side, looking out with me to the water.

"How much do you like the ocean? Have you ever noticed them before?"

He pointed down to the water, and I followed the line of sight. My eyes froze on the…mermaids? I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut, blinking a few times before I could convince myself that what I was seeing was real.

"No way!"

I waved to them and some of them to me. I was completely amazed, holding on to Lance in my ardor to see better. Leaning over the rail, his hands were on my sides to keep me from going too far.

"Be careful, baby. They look nicer than they really are."

Baby? Had she ever let another man call her by a pet name? She liked it, though. She couldn't deny that. She turned in his arms, away from the water, to look up at him.

"Are you telling me they're mean?" I looked back over my shoulder. "But they're creatures of the water. I love the water, always have. "

He smiled, dipping his head down to kiss me. I think I forgot to breathe, or we simply kissed for so long that I ran out of oxygen. He scooped me up in his arms and carried my back to our room, the door closing on its own behind us.

Hours later, our bodies lay entwined with a sheen of sweat on our skin, I felt a sudden burning itch on the palm of my hand, leading all the way up to my shoulder. After a second, the searing pain was enough to jolt me up into a sitting position, my other hand pressed to the affected areas. I hissed in a breath, watching Lance. That's when I saw it. A tattoo appeared on his arm as I watched. The intricate scrollwork seemed to be burning itself into his flesh. I could see his muscles tensing against the pain, but he showed no outward sign of it.

Moments later, the pain was gone. Still, my eyes were glued to his new tattoo, my mind racing with ideas of how and where it got there. I raised my eyes to his, more concern for his pain than anything, only to see him showing, not physical pain, but emotional pain.

"I'm sorry. I should've warned you this…"

He apologized? For what? I raised a finger to his lips, silencing his apology.

"You have nothing to apologize for. But…what is this?"

I pointed to his newly-formed tattoo before ever even thinking to look down to see if I now had one of my own. It wasn't until he lifted my arm up, bringing the identical tattoo to his into my line of sight. I looked from his arm to my arm and back, not knowing what to do or say.

"In my world, it's called a Mating Mark."

He sat up, lacing his fingers with mine. I studied each of our arms, enthralled with the detail of the work. I had never had a tattoo before and I had no idea if it was special or not, but…it felt right.

"A Mating Mark? What does that mean? Please, tell me. Stop being so cryptic."

I brought my gaze back up to his eyes, waiting for him to carry on. He seemed relieved that I was still by his side, that I had not gotten up and fled the room.

"It means The Fates have decreed that you and I…" He took a deep breath. "That you and I should be together. I'll understand if you don't want that…me. All you have to do is leave."

The very thought of leaving him hurt me. I felt it in my heart, the weirdest twinge that if I left him, my life would be empty, incomplete. I squeezed his fingers in my hand, smiling as reassuringly as I could manage.

"Somehow, Lance, this feels right. I can't explain it. "

I could see his inner battle, something warring inside him. He raised my hand to his lips in such a similar manner that he had done earlier in the day. Instead of kissing each knuckle, his lips and his tongue traced the pattern of my Mark, slowly making his way up my arm. The sensations were amazing, my body tingling all over with what he was doing to me.

That was the first time he showed me all the incredible things he could do with his mouth and his tongue. By the time he had finished, I was lying there, feeling like Jell-O. Instead of claiming me, like I could see in his eyes that he wanted to, he lay back on the bed. I could tell he was incredibly uncomfortable as I rolled towards him. My simple touch seemed to make his body, his cock jerk in response. Rather than leave him in such a state, I returned his favor, bringing him to the brink of ecstasy and beyond.

By the time I had finished, we were both lying there, panting, trying to catch our breath. The room was heated from our bodies, the smell of our sex heavy in the still air of the cabin. Lance was studying the Mark on my arm, his fingers slowly following the scrollwork.

"You would really be attached to me? As my Mate?"

He seemed so unsure of himself, it nearly broke my heart. I had yet to see this side of him, and somehow, I knew that no one else had either.

"Lance, if I had my way, we'd be together forever."

I heard him let out the breath he had been holding and watched the smile spread over his lips. He pulled me into his arms, and together, we drifted off to sleep, his heartbeat beneath my ear, his heated skin the only blanket I would ever need.


	6. Chapter 6

Days passed and I had to find a way to live them without being surrounded by Lance and his all-encompassing presence. How did I do this? I decided to work in my garden. I had some tomato plants and strawberry plants I wanted to get planted, and the physical labor of it would hopefully keep my mind occupied. I was just finishing up the last of the tomatoes, dirt smeared on my thighs, arms, and even my cheek from wiping at my sweat, when I heard a no-familiar scratching at the back gate of my yard.

Looking up just as Shadow jumped over the fence and into the yard, I had to sit back as his momentum carried him right up to my face. As soon as he had licked my face in greeting, Shadow disappeared and Lance was sitting in front of me, grinning like a fool. I loved it. I loved that smile, the way it seemed to just brighten up the entire world. I was completely helpless, which was new for me.

"I have a question for you."

He said it so jovially, I could barely hear the nerves behind it, but I could feel them. Setting my little trowel aside and pulling off my gardening gloves, I sat back, mimicking his pose.

"Which is?"

He reached up towards my face, wiping away the smudge of dirt that was on my cheek, shaking his head while he smiled.

"You're on vacation from work so I was wondering if you'd want to join me for a little trip. Anywhere you want to go."

Considering he had taken me to Paris for breakfast the other day, his words held a lot more meaning than anyone else's ever had. I had to sit there and think about it, biting my lip and tucking my hair back behind my ears. I knew he was a wolf and that he would more than likely be happy in the woods or a forest, even though I loved being around water and the beach. In the end, I went with what I thought would make him happy.

"How about we go camping? In the woods?"

He laughed, shaking his head no as he leaned closer to me. He dropped his chin, staring me straight in the eyes.

"You like the ocean. Choose where.'

Sitting back, winking at me, he cocked a brow up and actually waited for me. It was really not fair that he could read me so well.

"Does it have to be a beach, or can it be a boat?"

Hell, he offered, I might as well find out what the limitations were and just how far he was willing to go.

"If you want a boat, I have a friend that has a yacht. I could call and ask for it."

Good gods, he was amazing. He really would do just about anything for me. Still, I thought wolves did not like the water, so I did not want to push too hard.

"Are you sure? I'm perfectly fine with camping."

Lance laughed and finally climbed up to his feet, extending his hand out to me to help me up. Slipping my hand in his, I got to my feet and stepped close to him, leaning up on my tip-toes to kiss his cheek.

"If you want the yacht, I'll get it. Go get a bag together and I'll make the call."

I quickly gathered all my gardening equipment and brought it inside, setting it all in the little room just off my kitchen. I could hear his voice behind me as he followed me inside, but I was far too excited to listen. I had to quickly clean up before packing, taking the shortest shower of my life and getting dressed again. I grabbed my favorite bikini and a cover-up, a few shirts and shorts, enough things to get by on a quick trip with my… what? Boyfriend? Man friend? Wolf friend? Hell, I had no idea. My Lance. Yeah, that seemed to work for me. Smiling to myself, everything ready to go, I picked up my travel bag and my purse and headed back downstairs to find him sitting on the couch waiting.

"All set?" He asked, eyeing the one bag. "I'm used to females bringing a lot more with them."

Slightly embarrassed, I looked down at my ratty old bag and shrugged, "Nah, this is all I need."

He seemed to appreciate that, walking towards the front door and opening it for me. Before we left, I locked up, giving the house one last glance before heading out to his…. Crap, how were we getting anywhere, he showed up as Shadow. Much to my surprise, he had a truck parked on the curb.

"How… ?"

He only laughed, helping me climb into the cab of the truck. "I have my ways." And, then he winked at me. If I had been standing, I more than likely would have swooned and fallen into his arms.

As it was, I sat there and watched the most delicious specimen of man walk around the front of the truck and climb into the driver's seat. There was just something absolutely magnetic about him. When he was near, I felt like I could conquer the world. When he smiled at me, I felt like my entire world finally made sense.

"Hope you don't mind, but we need to stop by my place before we go, so I can grab some stuff."

"Why would I mind? I'll finally get to see where you live." Odd, up until that point, I had never even thought about where he lived.

Lance started up the truck and pulled away from the curb, cutting through traffic with an efficiency that the best ambulance driver would kill for. We made it through town and to the street it turned out Lance's garage was.

"You own a garage?" I stared at the cars that lined the small lot, the several mechanics' bays that lined the front of the massive white building.

Another laugh from him, from deep within his chest, and pulled the truck around back. "Yeah, this is my job. Or, one of them, at least. Come on."

Parking, he climbed from the truck and I followed suit. Together, hand in hand, we walked up to a lone door on the far corner of the building. He unlocked it and we went inside, following a long, narrow staircase up towards his loft apartment. It was neither large nor small, just enough room for a single man. It made sense and for some reason, I could not imagine him with anything different. An open floor plan, his bed seemed to dominate the area. No couch, only a dresser, a chair, and a table filled the space other than boxes of car parts.

I went over and sat on the edge of the bed, watching as he gathered a few clothing items and a laptop. A laptop? That sort of seemed to break the romantic spell of a weekend of nothing but me and him. Damn it. Regardless, I was not about to argue. When he was ready to go, we headed back down to his truck and once again, we left for the distant ocean and some mysterious yacht.

"Are you planning on working while we're out on this boat?" I could not resist asking, the thought of him hunkered over his laptop working rather than swimming in the water with me was a little depressing.

"It's just in case. I do some work on the side and emergencies do happen sometimes."

"Oh." Somehow, his words made me feel at least a little better. A little.

We drove in silence for the longest time, across the state of Georgia and towards the Atlantic. As I sat there, staring out the window, I had an epiphany of sorts.

"Sandalwood!"

"What?" Lance looked over at me, slightly startled.

"Oh, I've just been wracking my brain since I've met you as to what that scent of yours is." Maybe a little embarrassed by my outburst, I felt the heat creep up into my cheeks as I tried to shrink and disappear into my seat.

I could feel Lance's chuckle in my chest, his voice soothing and arousing at the same time. I really needed help. We fell into another silence; the miles disappearing behind us as the blue waters slowly came into view. The scent of the ocean was enticing and exciting, luring me out of my quiet little shell. Still, I was starving and my stomach started growling mercilessly.

"I think we should stop here and find something to eat." His voice came out of nowhere, a savior of sorts.

He pulled off the road, not too far from our final destination, to a little restaurant where we had a quick Surf-and-Turf dinner. Famished, I must have nearly inhaled my food and Lance seemed to be entertained by this. Like any couple, we were feeding each other, laughing, and simply enjoying one another's company. In all actuality, if I could have had him naked and in a bed with me, I would have been better off. Still, it was a good dinner and it was not long before we were back on the road and making our way to the dock where the yacht was moored.

The yacht was huge. By my own personal description, the yacht was a cruise liner. It was huge! Lance parked the truck and we grabbed our bags, heading up the ramp to the boat. I was absolutely speechless while I looked around at everything there was to see. From the wood of the deck, to the paint on the walls, the beautiful couches and chairs that littered the available space, I was completely blown away.

"Come on, Caryn. I'll show you where our room is."

All I could do was nod and follow along, hopefully not trip and truly embarrass myself in front of the crew that seemed to melt away and return to their duties as soon as we boarded. Lance led me through the maze of hallways and corridors, through large living rooms and gathering spaces towards our room. When we finally got there, he opened the door and stood aside to let me go in first. Dropping my two bags on the floor just inside, I stood in complete shock and awe. The bed was huge, the lighting soft and romantic, the comforts and pillows screaming my name with their muted colors. It was so relaxing yet romantic at the same time; I had no idea how to react.

Lance came in behind me, setting his own bag on the chair in the corner closest to the door. Walking up behind me, his arms slid around my waist and he dipped his head down to kiss the side of my neck, his lips brushing enticingly over my skin.

"Go ahead and get changed and I'll give you tour." His voice was barely above a whisper in my ear, goose bumps prickling along the skin of my arms. "Wear your bikini."

How he knew I had packed a bikini, I had no idea, but I nodded to him. I turned and saw him leave the room, and I jumped into action. That had to be the fastest I had ever moved, let alone got a bathing suit on. I slipped the cover up on over my head as I left the room, my bare feet padding along the wood floors as I found my way back towards one of the living rooms I had passed through earlier. I saw Lance through a sliding glass door and headed over. Sliding the door open, I stepped out and walked up to Lance, the smile on his face telling me I had chosen correctly with the bikini being packed.

His arms went around me, and he finally kissed me. The kiss held such passion and need; I melted against him, sighing against his lips just as he began to pull away, thankful he was strong enough to support my weight. Damn, the man could kiss!

"Hey, baby." The smile on his lips, in his eyes, was enough to undo me.

I must have been grinning like a fool, but I could not help it. I tore my gaze from him to look over at the ocean and only then realized we had already left port and were heading out towards open waters. The yacht was so large that I had never even felt us moving! I was completely speechless, and in my exuberance, walked over to the railing to look down at the water. Not only did I see the yacht cutting through the waves but I also saw things swimming along with us. My brain immediately went with it being dolphins, but when Lance came up behind me and looked down with me, he pointed out what they were so casually, it floored me.

"Ah, the mer-folk are out already." He laughed and waved to a few of them down in the water, and much to my astonishment, a couple actually waved back.

"What the… ?"

Wow, genius Caryn strikes again, I thought. I turned to look up at Lance, getting ready to hit him with a million questions about what the hell the people were in the water, what he was, so many other things, when all of a sudden, I felt a sharp burning sensation on the palm of my hand.

"Ouch!" I hissed in a breath, blowing on my palm, assuming I had gotten a bad splinter or maybe had touched some sun-heated metal that burned me.

Instead, when I looked at my hand, at my palm, I saw an intricate, geometrical shape slowly taking form on my skin. I heard Lance's sharp intake of breath and looked over at him, to see he was staring at his hand as well. His head snapped up and he stared at me. The look on his face was somewhere between shock and fear and it worried me. He stared from his hand to me, to my hand and back to his.

"What just happened?" I asked him, completely confused as the burning sensation slowly dissipated.

Lance walked over and grabbed my hand to examine my palm. He opened his hand and showed me an identical pattern to mine on his palm. For a few minutes, he simply kept looking from the marks to me and back, long enough that I began to fear that he was not going to tell me what had just occurred.

"We're marked. Mates." His voice was almost reverential.

"What?"


End file.
